Manchester woman accused of driving on sidewalk chasing boyfriend

MANCHESTER - A city woman was charged with felony reckless conduct Thursday night after she allegedly drove up onto the sidewalk on Wilson Street in an effort to hit her boyfriend.

Police said a member of the street crime unit spotted what was an ongoing and escalating dispute between Omayra Morales, 26, of 84 Karatzas Ave., and Merlin Garcia-Santos, 26, at the intersection of Wilson and Cedar streets.

The officer said Morales' SUV was stopped in the intersection and Garcia-Santos was standing outside the driver's door, engaged in a physical altercation with Morales.

The officer said Garcia-Santos then began to walk away, but Morales followed him, pulled her car over and got out and started punching him.

The man moved away and Morales returned to her vehicle, driving across the oncoming traffic lane and driving up onto the sidewalk in an apparent attempt to hit Garcia-Santos, who was able to jump out of the way.

The officer said the incident wasn't over yet, because when the vehicle stopped, Garcia-Santos went to the driver's side of the SUV and again engaged in a physical confrontation with Morales through the open window.

At that point, the officer reached the vehicle and was able to grab Garcia-Santos and, after a brief struggle, subdue him. Meanwhile, other officers arrived and were about to stop Morales and detain her.

Police found a 4-year-old girl in the vehicle, who was not in a car seat or seatbelt. She was released to a relative.

Officers also reported finding a marijuana cigarette in the vehicle and Morales was charged with misdemeanors of possession of a controlled drug and assault and cited for the seat belt and operating on the sidewalk violations.

Morales was arraigned Friday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division, where bail was continued at $2,000. A probable cause hearing on the felony was set for Jan. 6, 2014, and trial on the remaining charges was set for Jan. 27, 2014.Garcia-Santos was charged with resisting arrest and will be arraigned at a future date.